Improvement in eokse-eakes



N. H. BROWN.

Horse Rake.

No. 76,597. Patented April 14, 1868.

' @witch tates @anni @ffice NATHANIEL H. BROWN, OF DERBY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNORTO vHIM- `SELh` AND JOSEPH A. VEAZIE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 76,597, dated April 14.-, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE-RAKES.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY OONOERN:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL H. Bnoww, of.Derry, in the county of Rockingham, and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain Improvements in Horse-Rakes, of which the-following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part oft-his specification, in which- Figure l is a rear elevation of my improved hcrsefrake.

Figure 2 is a section through the centre of' the same. l

Figure 3 is a section through one of the teeth and the parts adjacent thereto.

Figure 4, detail to'be referred to.

My invention consists in providing the iron teeth of a horse-rake with wooden heads, which are connected with the axle or rake-head, rnd vibrate between two bars, a spiralA spring being placed between each of the wooden heads and the upper bar, so as to give the required degree ot' elasticity to the tooth and avoid liability ol' breakage. A A

And my invention also consists in an improved device for raising the teeth to discharge the load, and holding them securely in place when raised to their full extent, so as to allow of transportation. I

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out. l

In the said drawings, A represents the. axle; B B, the wheels, and O the shafts. a a are the iron teeth, which are made of the spring-wire generally employed for this purpose, and are leach provided with a wooden head, b, the end of the ironportion ct extending up through the head 6, where it is secured by a nut, c, an veye-bolt, d, through which the tooth passes, and a nut, e, serving as an additional fastening at the opposite end of the head. These wooden heads b vibrate on a long rod,f, (figs. 2, 3, and 4,) which `is supported by angular brackets, g, secured to the axle A, a nut, It, at each end, serving to hold the rod in place.l

D E are two bars, placed one above and the other below theheads b, and connected together at the ends and centre by blocks z', which vibrate on the rodf, the bars being secured to the blocks by screw-bolts and nuts Z, thus forming a vibrating frame. Between each of the heads b and the upper bar D is placed a spiral spring, m, which is held securely in position by one end fitting into a recess in the head, and the opposite end into a similar recess in the bar D above, these springs aii'ording the required degree of elasticity to the teeth to enable them to conform to the surface of the ground, if uneven, or to rise over an obstruction, and thus prevent the liability 'of breakage. The bars D E, which are placed at a suitable distance apart, and connected to each other and to the axle, serve to hold the teeth in place, and still admit of the independent vibration of each tooth to the extent required.

When it is desired to remove the heads la, the upper bar D should be loosened, the springs m removed, and the rodfwithdrawn, but any one oilthe iron teeth a may be easily detached from its Wooden head by removing the nuts c e and bolt d.

The wooden heads b above described, possess many advantages, as they admit ofthe teeth being secured to the axle in a strong and durable manner-,and afford perfect sockets for the springs, while they support the wire teeth a, prevent their having lateral motion, and allow' of their being. easily removed and replaced.

I will now proceedto describe the device by which the teeth a are raised from the ground and the load discharged. G is a bent arm or lever, which is rigidly secured to the bar E and centre-block t', and is'provided at its forward end with a long slot, n, inwhich works a roll, o, on a bell-crank, H, attached to a shaft, I, which is vibrated by means of a handle, K, extending up into a suitable position to be operated from the seat L, which is supported on a brace, p, securedto the axle,

When the handle K ofthe bell-crank is drawn towards the operator, the teeth a will be raised to discharge the load, and ou drawing the handle` still 'further back in the same direction, so as to raise the teeth to their full extent, as seen in red in tig. 2,'they will be/held Asecurely in that position, ready'for transportation.

v tenso-i- 2 This is eiected by making the lever G of such length that when depressed,` as seen in red, lig. 2, the bellcrank will have passed its centre, in which position the weight of the teeth noting upon the crank will tend to hold the parts in place, or if the lever G is oi' e little less length, o depression or notch, ai, made at the extremity oi' the slot for the reception of the roll o, will cause the parts to remain in the'postion represented in red. This depression, however, will not be required if the lover G is made of n sufficient length to allow the bell-crank to be carried past its cer.tre;

When the teeth are elevated to their full extent, they cannot be forced down until the handle K is moved slightly forward, when they will readily drop to their working position, and by pressing the handle forward while the rake is in operation, the teeth muy be caused to press more firmly on the ground when uneven, or when the wheels are passing over obstructions.

I know that wire teeth with wooden heads have been used in horse-relies, but dierently constructed and arranged from mine, and I disclaim the same so fur as they are shown in the forfeited application of John A. Hooper, ordered for issue, August 5, 1864.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The teeth a, with their wooden heads b, in combination with the bars D E, and the springs m7 constructed,v arranged, and operating substantially as described.

also claim the device for elevating the teeth a, consisting essentially of the erm or lever G, in combina;- tlou with the crank I1, operated substantially as set forth.

NATHANIEL H. BROWN.

Witnesses:

GREENLEAF C. BARTLETT, S'rEPu 4:n 'Fusssimes 

